Top Items:
Ben Smith / New York Times:
Help, We Can't Stop Writing About Andrew Yang — The outsider brings provocative ideas and good vibes. But can an “empty vessel” really make it through New York's shark-infested media waters? — In January of last year, as the Iowa caucuses neared and before I'd heard of Covid-19 …
Discussion:
Twitchy and New York Post
CBS Boston:
Brookline Will Keep Outdoor Mask Mandate In Place — BROOKLINE (CBS) — The outdoor mask mandate will remain in place until further notice in Brookline, Town Manager Mel Kleckner said Friday. — The announcement came on the same day that the state eased its outdoor mask mandate …
Discussion:
Twitchy
Alex Wigglesworth / Los Angeles Times:
Los Angeles County reports no new COVID-19 deaths — Los Angeles County public health authorities on Sunday reported no new deaths related to COVID-19. — Although officials cautioned that the figure was probably an undercount because of reporting delays on weekends, it still marked a bright spot …
Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:
The politicians who tried to overturn an election — and the local news team that won't let anyone forget it — The journalists at WITF, an all-news public radio station in Harrisburg, Pa., made a perfectly reasonable decision a few months ago. — They decided they wouldn't shrug off the damaging lies of election denialism.
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA
NBC News:
In bitterly divided election in Southlake, Texas, opponents of anti-racism education win big — SOUTHLAKE, Texas — Nine months after officials in the affluent Carroll Independent School District introduced a proposal to combat racial and cultural intolerance in schools …
Mike Sacks / New Yorker:
John Swartzwelder, Sage of “The Simpsons” — The first major interview with one of the most revered comedy writers of all time. — It's been nearly twenty years since the reclusive, mysterious, almost mythical comedy writer John Swartzwelder left “The Simpsons,” and yet, to this day …
American Greatness:
The Deep State is Back — When Biden says “America is back” and praises “our democracy,” it's clear he means a return to the pre-Trump status quo, including the meddlesome and ungoverned Deep State. — Recently, the FBI searched Rudy Giuliani's Manhattan apartment.
Gillian Brockell / Washington Post:
Mary Lincoln wasn't ‘crazy.’ She was a bereaved mother, new exhibit says. — Callie Hawkins had been working at President Lincoln's Cottage museum for 10 years when she became pregnant. She and her husband were thrilled, and she joked with her co-workers about the baby's “perfect” due date — Feb. 12 — Abraham Lincoln's birthday.
Washington Post:
For Republicans, fealty to Trump's election falsehood becomes defining loyalty test — Debra Ell, a Republican organizer in Michigan and fervent supporter of former president Donald Trump, said she has good reason to believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
Discussion:
AFP, Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, Raw Story, Daily Kos, Salon, CNN, Politico, The Hill and Axios
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Marc Caputo / Politico:
'There's a lot of crazy going on': Pro-Trump lawyer blows up key GOP race
'There's a lot of crazy going on': Pro-Trump lawyer blows up key GOP race
Discussion:
DJHJ Media and Raw Story
Eric Levitz / New York Magazine:
Avoiding White Backlash Is a Racial-Justice Issue — From the time of the Constitution's ratification until Joe Biden's junior year of college, the United States was governed by a de-jure racial caste system that denied most Black Americans political power and economic opportunity.
Barney Frank / The Hill:
Why Biden's COVID relief package may have changed everything — Share to Facebook Share to Twitter — The Biden administration and its Congressional allies have not only achieved immediate political and economic victories with passage of their COVID relief legislation …
Deroy Murdock / Fox News:
Biden's ‘Jim Eagle’ vs. Jim Crow - here's what Democrats get so profoundly wrong on race — The Democrat Party has become America's headquarters for racism and anti-Black bigotry — Ben Carson: Does Biden know what Jim Crow is? — To see what racism and race-baiting look like, look no further than today's Democrat-Left.
Discussion:
TheGrio
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Myah Ward / Politico:
Tim Scott optimistic about Congress' progress on police reform
Tim Scott optimistic about Congress' progress on police reform
Discussion:
CBS News
Amy Kazmin / Financial Times:
India's ruling BJP suffers setback in state elections — Failure in West Bengal despite aggressive campaign delivers rebuke of Modi's pandemic leadership — India's prime minister Narendra Modi suffered a significant political setback on Sunday when his Bharatiya Janata party failed …
Discussion:
Al Jazeera
mailchi.mp:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: — A Statement from Michael Wood: I am proud of the campaign we ran, and regret nothing. This was always going to be a long shot, but I hope that others around the country will do the same, and fight for our party and our country. — I would like to thank …
Tara Palmeri / Politico:
POLITICO Playbook: Trump tightens his grip on the GOP — DRIVING THE DAY — There are some very encouraging new numbers for President JOE BIDEN this morning: Sixty-four percent of Americans said they're optimistic with the direction of the country, according to an ABC/Ipsos poll.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Insider and The Daily Caller
John Nichols / madison.com:
Robin Vos is a threat to democracy — Good news. Wisconsin's population increased by 3.6%, to 5,893,718, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. That's not a huge gain, but it's sufficient to maintain the state's current level of representation in the U.S. House.
Associated Press:
U.S. general: Afghan forces could face ‘bad possible outcomes’ — WASHINGTON — Afghan government forces face an uncertain future and, in a worst-case scenario, some “bad possible outcomes” against Taliban insurgents as the withdrawal of American and coalition troops accelerates in the coming weeks …
Discussion:
HotAir and New York Post
Anoa Changa / NewsOne:
Conservatives Launch Lawsuits Attacking Historic Government Aid For Black Farmers — Five white farmers last week sued USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack in his official capacity, alleging reverse discrimination for his treatment of Black farmers, in particular. The lawsuit claimed the effort …
Discussion:
Raw Story, Talking Points Memo and POLITICUSUSA
Will Bunch / The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Why it took Joe Biden to carry out the Bernie Sanders presidency | Will Bunch — It was just over five years ago — while Bernie Sanders was crisscrossing America's early primary states, packing large arenas with throngs cheering his plans for free college, government child care …
Jacob Kornbluh / The Forward:
Israel ambassador likely to be named this week, with shortlist narrowed to two — President Joe Biden has narrowed down his list of candidates for ambassador to Israel to two candidates who have strong ties to the pro-Israel community. Tom Nides, a former official in the Clinton and Obama administrations …
CNN:
Donald Trump saw it coming — Sign up to get our new weekly column as a newsletter. We're looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. — (CNN)Donald Trump saw it coming. Back in 2019, the moderate Joe Biden looked like a candidate uniquely suited …
Discussion:
Michael-In-Norfolk and Fox News
Associated Press:
State TV: Iran reaches deals to release prisoners; US denies — TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran will free prisoners with Western ties in Iran in exchange for billions of dollars from the United States and the United Kingdom, state television reported Sunday. The U.S. immediately denied the report, while the U.K. did not respond.
Discussion:
Fox News, Reuters, Bloomberg, IJR, Al Jazeera, Associated Press, Washington Times, NBC New York, ABC7, National Review, The Hill, CBS News and HotAir
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CBS News:
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the threat posed by China — Norah O'Donnell speaks with Secretary Blinken in a wide-ranging interview that touches on China's recent military aggression, winding down the long war in Afghanistan and the immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Discussion:
The Week
The Hill:
Census confirms Texas and Florida are America's future — Share to Facebook Share to Twitter — We suspected people were moving by the thousands to Texas and Florida. Now Washington has proof. The recent census results added two congressional seats to Texas and bolstered Florida's representation …
Discussion:
HotAir
Jean Guerrero / Los Angeles Times:
Op-Ed: How conspiracy theories about COVID-19 prey on Latinos — Last year, I was working on a coronavirus story for the PBS NewsHour when my father texted me a since-removed YouTube video titled, “How to wipe out the corona virus THT in 10 min.” A chiropractor with a graying beard named John Bergman …
Jonathan Martin / New York Times:
Why Kristi Noem Is Rising Quickly as a Republican Prospect for 2024 — Ms. Noem, the governor of South Dakota, has defied coronavirus restrictions and eagerly projects a rugged Great Plainswoman image. But some of her political moves prompt eye rolls. — PIERRE, S.D. …
Jill Jacobs / Haaretz:
Supporters of the far right Lehava on the prowl, one wearing a ‘Kahane was right’ badge, in Jerusalem last monthCredit: Emil Salman — Many of us watched in horror as right-wing Jewish youth marched from Zion Square to the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah two weeks ago, chanting …
Discussion:
Jacobin
Mark Whittington / The Hill:
SpaceX's Elon Musk has become the coolest capitalist of them all — Share to Facebook Share to Twitter — In Boca Chica, Texas, Elon Musk's SpaceX is preparing another test flight of the Starship, a new and improved prototype called SN15. By the time you read this …